8 Low Carb Diet Tips

With a low carb diet, you limit foods high in carbohydrates. By doing so, your body begins to burn fat for fuel.

Following any diet can be difficult to follow but these 8 tips will help you succeed!

1. Eat what you want to eat the night before you start your diet

Cravings are one of the hardest things to deal with when on a low carb diet. Make sure you curb the desire to eat high carbohydrate foods by taking the day before to eat a variety of your favorite foods. This will keep you from dreaming of that one last meal with foods that will be limited on your diet.

2. Have your pantry and refrigerator stocked

Make sure you have all the foods you need in your pantry before you start your diet. This keeps you from cheating. The day before you start your diet, you should have enough food in your house for at least seven days. This will also help you plan meals and keep you from going to the grocery store when you're hungry.

3. Make a menu

Making menus will help you plan your meals for the day. This keeps you from trying to decide what you're going to have for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is also a good way for you to stick to your diet.

4. Keep snacks with you at all times

Snacking is practically a rule for a low carb diet. Being able to munch on something throughout the day helps curb your appetite. Cheese, almonds and peanuts make great snacks.

5. Have fast food to break the monotony

There are many foods available from restaurants that can be made low carb. I happen to love taco salads but at fast food restaurants, they normally have at least one or two ingredients that are high in carbs. A taco salad without beans, rice or the shell kept me from cheating the very first day. A little extra beef or cheese didn't hurt either.

6. Experiment with different recipes

By having a variety of meals to choose from, you will never be bored with your diet. Try chicken with a beef recipe or adding different spices or vegetables to one of your favorite dishes. Having a list of recipes to choose from makes it easy to create meals from any food in your pantry or refrigerator.

7. Make your favorite meal low carb

Take your favorite meal and make it low carb. If you like bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast, leave the toast out and add another low carb food like avocado or cheese. Sometimes a little more quantity is all you need to satisfy your appetite.

8. Start your day with a glass of water

Keeping your body healthy means keeping it hydrated. One any diet, you should drink 8 glasses or more of water every day. The body needs water to function correctly and if you become even slightly dehydrated, you're cells are not in an optimal state. Start your day with a glass of water, even if you have to have coffee after that.

Losing weight is something a lot of people struggle with. Low carb diets are popular but they're not fads. They work and they can be made into a lifestyle. Good luck and happy dieting!